Never Be Late For Work
by clwilson
Summary: Colby Fails to show at Work, The rest of the Team go Looking for him. Rated M to be safe.


Disclaimer: I Own nothing of Numb3rs, though given the way they're treating Colby lately they clearly no longer want him, so I'll give him a good home.

A/N: My first numb3rs FanFic. Be nice. Also Un Beta'd. I even put it through an American spell checker to get the spelling right.

Summary: Colby Fails to Show up for Work, The Team go Looking for him

Never Be Late For Work

"Morning." Don Eppes placed the coffee on his desk trying not to yawn,

"Morning, Don." Replied a suspiciously bright Megan Reeves, causing Don to stare at her, she just smiled back at him.

"Morning." David Sinclair hurried in behind Don. "I'm not late am I?" looking between a glaring Don and smiling Megan.

"Not Really, But Colby is now officially later in than the boss, so he gets the short straw on the paperwork."

Don grinned at Megan and picked his coffee up. "So that's why you're always here before me!"

Chuckling to himself David shrugged out of his jacket a hung it the back of his chair, before sitting in it and swiveling to face his two teammates.

"Colby didn't answer his phone this morning when I called to ask him if he wanted to get breakfast with me on the way in, he only does that when he has a date the night before." he said

Megan's grin got wider, "I told him I'd find someone for him."

"Yeah for Twenty bucks a time," came the reply, "Megan Reeves, FBI Madam." He added, ducking just in time to avoid the paper clip Megan flicked at him.

"Children please, If I wanted to get into a fight I'd ask Charlie here." Don said perching on the edge of his desk, he put the coffee down again and reached for a pile of files. Splitting the pile more or less in half he dropped one handful on Colby's desk and waved the other half at Megan and David.

"Duty Calls."

Megan's grin faded a little but she took the files and passed the top one to David. They both turned back to their respective desks in silence.

"I'll be upstairs for the weekly office updates." Don said, leaving for the elevators without waiting for a reply.

xxxxxxxxxx

Almost an hour later Don returned.

"That could almost be called a waste of time." he sighed dropping into his chair, turning to look at his team, Megan had the phone cradled to her ear and David had an open file on his desk.

"Where's Colby?" Don asked him.

David shrugged "Still no sign." he turned to face Don. "I've tried his cell a couple more times, but it goes straight to voice mail, Megan's Phoning his Apartment phone now." Just as Megan put the phone down.

"No Answer?" Asked Don unnecessarily. Megan shock her head, the smile now gone.

"Hot date or no, this is not like Colby." She said.

Don Glanced at his watch "Still it's only an hour," he mused "give him another before we get worried."

He watched Megan and David exchange a look "Traffic?" he said hopefully.

Silence greeted his comment but the two Agents turned back to their desks. Don watched them for a moment, then turned to his own desk and picked up the phone. "_LAPD owes me a favor_" he thought putting the call through.

xxxxxxxx

Before Don's hour was up, David had abandoned his paperwork and was pacing between the desks and the break room, he didn't want to contradict his boss but this was his partner and he was worried. They had only just got back to being comfortable with each other and he couldn't shake the feeling it was all trickling down the pan while they sat here and did nothing. He nearly jumped when the phone on Don's desk rang.

"Eppes!"

"Hey Officer, Thanks for getting back to me." David was trying not to listen in to Don's conversation.

"No answer?" Don was now frowning at the phone "What about his car?"

A pause in Don's conversation bought both David and Megan to his desk.

"Still in the Car Park." Don clarified for his two eavesdroppers

"No, I don't need you to anything else right now, Officer. We'll handle it from here. Thanks."

Don dropped the phone back.

"I called in a favor with LAPD, had a patrol car swing by Colby's place." David was grabbing his coat before Don could finish "His car's in the car park and no-one's answering the door."

Megan and Don were right behind David without waiting for Don to issue the order. One of them was now officially missing.

xxxxxxxx

The Frantic ride to Colby's apartment was in near silence, the only noise was of David checking and rechecking his weapon, they didn't even speak as they picked Kevlar Vests from the trunk of the SUV. They were halfway up the stairs to the third floor when David spoke.

"What if he's not there?"

"It's the logical place to start." Replied Megan, over the top of Don's "Then we keep looking."

They approached the door to Colby's apartment. Don hammered hard on the door "FBI, Colby Granger, Open Up!" Falling back on the official speech.

All three of them listened to the following silence, David Banged again "Come on Colby, open up stop messing us around." More silence followed the command.

Holding up three finger's, Don began the countdown. Seconds later the door to Colby's apartment smashed open. David entered first, low to the ground swinging his gun while Don covered him. Don followed next while Megan covered him. "Clear." called David and Megan followed into the apartment.

Don called clear from the kitchen and David cleared the smaller of the two bedrooms.

"I don't think this is Colby's" Megan used her gun barrel to lift the lacy bra from it's position on the back of the couch.

"David?" a faint voice from the main bedroom caused all three to freeze. raising their guns together, Don and David crept to the bedroom door. Don nodded and David carefully pushed the door open, the room was in semi darkness and David could just make out a body on the bed.

"David?" came Colby's voice out of the darkness "Please let it be you." he sounded a little pathetic.

"Yeah buddy, it's me." David lowered his weapon and reached to one side a flicked on the light.

Squinting in the sudden brightness Colby sighed "Aw man, you bought Don too." Don lowered his weapon as he took in the sight before him.

Colby was stark naked and handcuffed to his own bed. Dozens of bright red lipstick kisses littered his torso, and a small pink stuffed pig was the only thing maintaining his dignity.

"Er, We found him Megan" Don called over his shoulder, not quite able to draw his eyes away from the spectacle of his junior agent.

"Is he OK" Megan stumbled to a halt in between David and Don.

"NO" Groaned Colby "You bought the whole team?" his face no almost as red as the lipstick on his body.

All three of the standing agents were trying hard to suppress their laughter.

"Hey! Don't just stand there." Colby almost whining now "Help me out!"

David approached the bed still grinning. "Hey Colby" he said noticing something "are they your own cuffs?"

Don And Megan dissolved behind him as David fished in his pocket for the generic key.

The End


End file.
